Steph
by SoulfullyInclined
Summary: I don't own anyone. *Please Review.*
1. History

"Hey," a guy in my history class said to me after class.

I was holding my books and walking out of the class. He has black hair and green eyes.

"Hey," I said.

"I'm Eric," he said.

I looked at him and smiled; "hey. I'm Stephanie."

"Hey Stephanie,"

"Yeah?"

"What are you doin after school?"

"Um well I have dance rehearsal and then ballet and then I have to be home for………."

"Well would you like to get some coffee after school?"

"Um well I have plans."

"After that then?"

"Um well I have to be home for…………."

"Yes I know. Dinner. Well how bout I have dinner at your place?"

"Um well I'll have to ask my dad but……….I'll let you know by the end of the day."

"Ok."

"Wait I don't have your phone number."

"Its…………"

We exchanged phone numbers.

"What do you have next?" Eric asked me.

"Math. You?"

"Science."

"Oh."

"So how bout that history class huh?" eric asked

"Ugh I know."

"How long can you ramble on about the American revolution?"

We laughed.

"You have a great smile," Wric told me.

"Thanks."

"Well," the bell rang; "I'll see you after school."

"Yeah bye."

"Bye."

Eric went down the hall.

My friend Gia walked up to me excitedly; "omygod Steph he totally likes you!"

"Um well……….."

"Hey me and a coupla guys are goin clubbing tonight. You wanna come with?"

"Um idinno maybe. I'll have to ask my dad."

"You can bring Eric."

"Ok I'll think about it."

"Ok."

Another bell rang.

"I'm goin outside to have a smoke," Gia informed me.

"Ok. See ya."

"Yeah bye Steph."

I walked into the math room just as the teacher was about to pull it closed.

"Stephanie you almost made it," he informed me.

"Almost?"

He pointed at his watch; "yeah. It's 2 minutes past."

"Oh."

My phone rang.

"Can I take this?" I asked.

"It'll make you later. But yes."

"Ok."

I stepped back into the hall and the teacher closed the door. I pulled my phone out of my purse and held it up to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Hi Steph," my dad said.

"Oh hi Dad. Um I'm supposed to be in class right now………"

"I know. But I won't be able to pick you up tonight."

"Ok."

"Michelle has soccer then horseback riding then ballet."

"Oh ok. Hey Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Um is it ok if I spend the night over at Gia's?"

I figured that was easier then telling him I was going clubbing which I knew he'd give me a lecture about.

"Yeah sure."

"Ok. And a guy from my history class Eric wants to come over for dinner."

"Ok that's fine."

"Ok."

I wondered what was going on. Usually Dad would've asked me more questions.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Um well……….we have to go and pick up DJ from college this weekend."

"Why I thought she was staying till the end of the semester."

"She was but she's been really depressed lately."

"Oh ok."

"Yeah."

"Is it ok if Gia comes along?"

"Yeah sure."

"When are we going to pick her up?"

"On Friday."

"Oh."

"Also on Friday Michelle's got a game and a ballet performance."

"Oh ok."

"So I'll see you tomorrow when you come home I guess."

"Yeah see ya."

"Ok bye."

"Bye."

By that time class was half over. My next class was science. I decided to go outside.

I walked down the hall and out the front doors of the school and outside where I heard Gia before I saw her.

"Hey Steph," she said.

As I was walking down the steps I looked to my right and saw Gia sitting on the grass, smoking. I walked down the rest of the stairs and over to the grass next to her where I saw down.

"Hey Gia," I said.

"Whats up" she asked me.

"Not much. You?"

"Same."

"My dad said I could go clubbing with you tonight."

"He actually agreed to that?"

"Well, no. He agreed to me staying over."

"Oh."

"Which I will be after clubbing. I mean if that's ok with you and your mom."

"Yeah that's fine."

"Ok."

Gia smoked some more.

"Hey on Friday we're going to pick up DJ."

Gia looked at me; "you and your family?"

"Yeah and you. I mean if you're up to it."

"Yeah sure that's fine whatever."

"Ok."

"I thought she wasn't coming home till the end of the semester."

"Yeah so did we. But…."

"But?"

"But she's not. Obviously."

"Yeah well why what happened?"

"She's apparently become very depressed."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"ok."


	2. Chapter 2

"Ok and ready? 1 2 3 4," our dance teacher called.

She pressed the play button on the cd player and we all walked onto the stage waving and twirling our ribbons. We were in the auditorium. The first track from the soundtrack to Flashdance was playing. We slowly danced onto the stage winding in between each other and then once the song hit the chorus sped up our dancing. We'd been rehearsing for about an hour.

"Ok and we're done. Great job ladies. And be here at 3 on Friday for our show. I'll see you all tomorrow," the dance teacher called.

She unplugged the cd player.

We walked off the stage and into the auditorium.

One of the girls, Ginger walked up to me.

"Hey Stephanie," she said.

I looked over at her as I got my stuff ready.

"Oh hey Ginger,"

"Great job today."

"Thanks."

She quickly sat down in one of the seats. I lokoed at her.

"You alrite?" I asked her.

"Yeah just a little lightheaded."

"Oh."

I pulled a Luna bar out of my bag and handed it to her; "here. Eat this. It'll help."

"Oh well I don't usually……….."

"Ok. Well, if you want to take it with you to have later…….."

"Yeah thanks."

"Yep."

I stood up as did Giner. She was very thin and very pretty.

"So what do you have next?" she asked me.

"Oh, well I have to go home to have dinner."

"By yourself?"

"No, with my family."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"I usually take the bus."

"Oh. Wow that must be nice."

"What, the bus?"

"No. The family thing."

"Yeah it's ok. And then I got ballet."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Wow me too."

"Really where?"

As it so happened Ginger took ballet at the same place I did. We decided to have dinner at my house and then go to ballet together.

"Hang on a minute I have to call my dad."

"Ok."

I called my dad and explained the situation to him. He said that was fine. I also told him about my shows. We then hung up.


	3. My house

When we got to my house I pulled the key out of my coat pocket and unlocked and opened the door of my house, letting Ginger and myself in. My uncle Jesse and his wife Becky were curled up on the couch drinking hot chocolate and watching tv. They looked up when we entered the living room. I closed the door behind me.

"Hey Steph," Becky said.

"Hey. This is my friend Ginger."

"Hello Ginger," Jesse said.

"Hi."

"Ginger this is my aunt Becky and uncle Jesse."

"Hi nice to meet you. I like your house," Ginger replied.

Becky smiled; "thanks."

Ginger and I made our way up the stairs.

"Stephanie," Becky called after us.

"Yeah?"

"Your dad won't be home for awhile."

"Oh ok."

We continued up the stairs and down the hall to my room.

"Hey I like your room," ginger said as we put our bags down on the floor of my room.

"Thanks."

Ginger walked over to my bulletin board where I had a picture of my mom tacked up.

"Hey who's this?"

"That's my mom."

"Oh. Is she………"

"She died a long time ago."

"Oh wow. I don't know what to say."

"Oh. Yeah I miss her. Sometimes."

"She's pretty."

"Thanks."

"She looks a lot like you."

"Yeah."

"Cmon let's go back downstairs," I said.

Ginger looked at me; "why?"

"Because that's what I usually do. Unless you want to stay up here."

"No i'ts fine."

"Ok."

"Yeah."

"Unless…………that's a problem."

"No let's go."

"Ok."

As we walked out of my room I heard Ginger mutter "this is so different."

"Hmm?" I asked her.

"Nothing. Never mind."

"Ok."

We walked into the kitchen where my uncle Joey was stirring a big pot of pasta and my dad's new wife Vicki was preparing garlic bread with her daughter Rachel. My cousin Katilin was steaming vegetables and her brothers Nicky and Alex were making salad. Vicki and Dad had 3 other daughters; Alexa, Lila and Elizabeth. Elizabeth was at voice lessons and then ice skating, Alexa was at the animal shelter where she volunteered and Lila was ballet. Out of all of us Alexa was the busiest. Jesse and Becky had another daughter Kaitlin.

Joey, Vicky, Kaitlin, Alex, Nicky and Rachel looked up when Ginger and I entered the kitchen. Vicky smiled warmly.

"Hi Stephanie," she said.

"Hey Steph," Rachel said.

"Hey Steph," Joey said.

"Hi everyone," I said.

"Hi," Ginger said shyly.

"Everyone this is my friend Ginger," I told them.

"Ginger, this is well, everyone,"

Ginger laughed; "hi I'm Ginger. Nice to meet……everyone."

They all explained how they were related to me.

"So ginger," Vicki asked.

Ginger looked up; "yes?"

"How do you know Stephanie?"

"Oh well we met in dance. After school. Today."

"Oh ok."

Our dog Comet walked into the room. He came over to Ginger and she smiled.

"Oh I love dogs. Hi what's your name?" she asked, petting Comet.

"Ginger this is Comet," I said.

"Well it's a good thing you like dogs because we do have one," Joey said.

We laughed.

"You got any other pets?" Ginger asked looking up.

"Um yeah…" I said.

An old English sheepdog walked into the room.

"Ohhh," Ginger said.

"Ginger this is Harry," Alex informed her.

A porutgese water dog walked into the room.

"Oh, and Gus," Rachel said.

"Oh."  
"Those are all the dogs we have," I said.

"I love animals," Ginger said.

Vicki smiled.

"So does my other daughter Alexa. She's at work right now," she said.

"Oh where does she work?"

"At an animal shelter."

"Ohh."

"Yeah she loves it."

"I can see why."

Ginger stood up and Harry, Gus and Comet walked out of the room.

"Hey can I help?" she asked indicating the garlic bread.

"Yeah sure," Vicky said.

"Cmon over," Rachel said.

Vickys phone rang; "hello? Hi honey. Oh ok. Bye."

"I have to go pick up Erica and Lila. Stephanie, your dad won't be home for a long while."

"Ok bye Vicky."

"Bye everyone. Nice meeting you Ginger."

"Yeah you too. Bye."

Vicky left.

The kitchen door swung open and Becky and Jesse came in.

"How's it going in here?" Becky asked.

Kaitlin looked up; "really well."

"Oh good."

Becky and Jesse pulled out some chairs from the kitchen table and sat down in them.

"So what does everyone want to drink?" Ginger asked after she had put the bread in the oven.

"Wow you really warmed right up to my mom," Rachel commented.

"Well she's a warm person Rachel. I feel so comfortable around her."

"Yeah she tends to have that effect on people."


	4. Chapter 4

It was now 6 and we were all sitting around the large, extended kitchen table. 'We' being Ginger, Rachel, Nicky, Alex, Becky, Jesse, Joey, Kaitlyn and myself. Vicky was off with Lila, Alexa and Elizabeth and my dad was with Michelle. Ginger barely had anything to eat. On the table was the pasta, salad, garlic bread, vegetables and a pitcher of apple cider.

"So is your dad usually out?" Ginger asked me.

"No he's usually here for dinner. Michelle sometimes is and sometimes isn't."

"Oh."

"Vicky, Elizabeth and Lila are though," Rachel said.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Wow so why don't you have kids?" Ginger asked Joey.

"I don't really want any. Not yet anyway."

"Oh."

"But you'd be so great with them."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Ginger you haven't had very much to eat," Becky observed.

"I'm………..just not very hungy."

"Ok. Well……….be careful."

"I will. Thanks."

We all ate some of out food.

"Wow so everyone lives in this house?" Ginger asked.

Jesse nodded; "yeah. We extended the basement and attic a bit."

"Oh ok."

"Ginger, if you like animals then maybe you'd like to come horseback riding with us this weekend," Becky said.

"Whos 'us'?"

"Well myself, Stephanie, DJ, Vicky and Alexa."

"DJ?"

"My older sister whos coming home from college early," I explained.

"Oh."

Ginger turned to Becky; "yeah sure I'd like that."

"Ok."


	5. Chapter 5

Ginger and I were walking out of the ballet building later that night.

"Hey, Stephanie!" I heard a male voice call.

I heard running. A person was on the right of me pretty soon.

"Hey Stephanie," Eric said.

I looked to my right.

"Oh hey Eric. Eric this is Ginger. Ginger this is Eric," I introduced.

"Hey," Eric said.

"Hi nice to meet you."

"You too."

"Thanks."

"Yep."

Ginger looked at me: "Stephanie do you think your aunt will mind if I called her…..?"

"No I don't think so."

"Ok. Well…….ring me later er I mean……"

I smiled; "I will. Or you, me."

"Ok."

"I'll see you."

"Yeah bye."

"Bye."

Eric and I started walking.

"How'd you meet?" he asked me.

"In dance this afternoon then she had dinner at my house. Wow that was a long time ago."

"Long day?"

"Yeah. Not bad just long."

"Oh."

"Yeah. And yours?"

"It was ok. How was dance?"

"Which?"

"Both."

"Oh. Ok."

"Oh."

"How'd the rest of your classes go?"

"They were ok, kind of boring."

"Oh."

"Hey there's the coffee shop."

Eric pulled the door open for me.

"You sit down and I'll get us our drinks. Coffee ok?" he asked me.

"Um hot chocolate. Please."

"Ok."

I sat down at a round table.

The shop was somewhat crowded.

"Hey Steph," Gia called.

She pulled her chair up to o ur table.

"Hi," I said.

"How's it goin?" she asked.

"Ok. You?"

"Good good."

"You here with anyone?"

"No. Well, now you. And Eric."

"Oh."

"Steph," Gia said.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to be careful. With him. I mean I know your dad might've………"

"No. He didn't actually. I haven't seen him all day."

"Oh."

"And I will."

"Ok."

Eric came back with our drinks and set them down on the table.

"Thank you," I said.

"Mmhmm. Gia you want anything?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yeah it's fine."

"Ok."

Eric sat down in the empty chair.

"So Eric," Gia said.

He looked at her; "yeah?"

"What do you think of Stephanie?"

"Well I ……….she's really nice. And pretty."

"Yeah. Sounds as though you might be quite taken with her."

"Yeah………"

"Well you know i'ts really funny because right after you left, in the hall, I went up to steph and……."

I looked at her; "Gia."

"What?"

"I am. Quite taken with her."

Gia leaned back in her chair.

"Just as I thought," she said, smiling.

Some more people came into the coffee shop.

"I'm gonna go have a smoke and let you 2 get to know each other," she said standing up and exiting the shop.

"So how come I haven't seen you around?" I asked eric.

"Oh I'm not from here, originally."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

"Uh, Wisconsin."

"Oh."

"And you?"

"From here."

"Oh."

We drank more of our beverages.

"Gosh Steph you're so pretty," Eric said, putting his hand on top of mine.

I blushed; "thanks."

"You wanna go out sometimes?"

"Aren't we already out?"

"I mean……….just the 2 of us."

"Oh. Um yeah sure."

"Ok."


	6. Chapter 6

Gia, Eric, myself and a bunch of Gia's friends, mainly guys, were at a club later that night. It was 11 p.m. Gia had gone off to dance with the guys, leaving Eric and I dancing together. I was wearing all black, a black tank top and black pants. I kept Gia's warning in the back of my mind.

I sat down on the black backless couch while eric kept dancing.

"You alrite?" he asked.

"Yeah just a little tired."

"Oh. You want anything to drink?"

"No that's ok."

"Ok. Well I'm gonna go get something. I'll be right back."

"Ok."

He went across the room. I didn't know if they had anything alcoholic or not and I didn't want to take my chances.

I lied down on the Couch, listening to the music pump. The room was very dark and very loud.

I saw eric heading towards me, and saw him mouth something although I couldn't quite make out what it was.

"Hey," Eric said, once he reached me.

"Hi," I said.

He put his cup down on the left side of me. He then slid himself down onto me.

"Eric," I started to say, "I'm not……..I mean I've never……..I'm still."

I was very scared.

In an attempt to stop him from doing what he was doing I knocked over his drink.

"Hey my drink," he said; "oh well I'll get it later."

He started to unbutton my pants.

"Hey man what are you doing!" I heard a male voice call.

A crowd of people was around us.

"Get off her," Gia said, pushing past Eric to help me sit up.

"What are you…….?" Eric asked.

"I said get off her."

Eric stood up; "she wanted it!"

My eyes started watering up. I was scared and shocked at this statement. I couldn't believe he thought I wanted it.

One of Gia's friends leaned towards Eric.

"No. She didn't," he said.

Eric said something in reply and they got to fighting.

Gia helped me up. I buried my head in her shoulder. She smelled like smoke.

"Steph. Hey look at me."

I looked up at her.

"Ok good."

"What?" I asked.

"I thought he had…….never mind."

"Oh. He didn't. I mean, not that I know of."

"Ok. Are you ok?"

"No," I replied.

"Hey what's going on in here!" a male voice boomed.

"He," someone said; "tried to take advantage of her."

"Tried to? So he didn't…?" Gia asked.

I shook my head; "no. you came just in time."

"Ok."

"Gia?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we go to your house?"

"Yeah. Cmon lets go."

One of Gia's friends came over to us; "hey. Can I give you a ride?"

"No man it's cool."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Thanks though."

"You ok miss?"

"Stephanie," Gia said.

"What?"

"Her name, is Stephanie."

"Oh. Hi Stephanie I'm Charles."

"Hi."

"You ok?"

"No. not really."

"We're going over to my place. I'll phone you," Gia said.

"Ok. Stephanie?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really sorry."


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey I'm gonna go call Charles," Gia said once we were at her place.

"Ok," I said.

She left the room. My phone rang. I dug it out of my purse and pushed the talk button.

"Hel hello?" I asked taking a shaky deep breath.

"Stephanie," my dad said.

"Hi Dad."

"Hi honey. I'm afraid I've got some bad news."

Oh no not more bad news. I took some more deep breaths and braced myself for what was to come.

"Stephanie? You there?"

"Yeah. I am."

"Ok."

"Well Joey and Jesse are in the hospital. Becky and I are going to stay here overnight as is Vicky. Alex, Kaitlin, Nicky, Rachel, Lila, Elizabeth and Michelle are back at the house. We need you to come home as soon as possible. It's ok if Gia comes too. Oh Claire is also in the hospital."

Claire's Gia's mom.

"Omygod what what happened?" I asked.

"There there was an accident. 2 actually."

"Oh."

"Jesse was in a motorcycle accident and Joey and Claire were in a car accident."

"Oh. I'll tell Gia."

"Ok. Bye."

"Bye."

We hung up and I sighed. In the kitchen I heard gia talking on the phone.

"Smoking, makin tea for Steph and coffee for me………..what? oh……….I don't know what she'll think of that. Ok. Yeah me too. Hey listen I've gotta go. Thanks. Um maybe. We'll see. Bye."

I stood up and walked into the dark kitchen.

"Hey Gia," I said.

"Hey Steph what's wrong?"

"Well I got bad news."

"Eric again?"

"No. no."

"Ok."

"Your mom. Um she's at the hospital. With my uncles."

"Shit. What happened?"

"Jesse was in a motorcycle accident. And your mom and Joey were in a car accident."

"Omygod."

"Vicky, my dad and Becky are there overnight with them. Dad says he wants us to go over to my house as soon as possible."

"Ok."

I breathed in and smelled the smell of smoke, coffee and green tea.

"Why is it so dark in here?" I asked.

"Oh, Mom and I, we're trying to save money on the electricity bill."

"Oh ok."

"Yeah."

Gia turned the stove burner down a bit.

"Hey whats in the oven?" I asked smelling something that smelled good.

"Oh brownies. Damn I almost forgot. Could you get those?"

"Yeah I'll get those."

"Ok thanks."

"Mmhmm. Scuse me."

Gia moved to the side. I put some oven mitts on and opened the oven to get the brownies out. I took them out and set the pan on the dying rack that was on the counter then closed the oven. I then took a knife out of the silverware drawer and started cutting the brownies.

"God," Gia said.

I looked at her.

"I can't believe he did that to you," she said.

"Who, Eric?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah I know. He tried but…………god. I mean what did I do?"

"Steph. You did nothing."

I sighed and popped a brownie into my mouth.

"Mmm these are good," I said.

"Well I would hope so. We made them," gia said.

We went over to the living room with our beverages and the brownies and sat down on the floor.


	8. Chapter 8

It was now Tuesday the next day and 11 a.m. I pulled my key out of my pocker and unlocked and opened the door letting Gia and myself in then closing the door behid me. Rachel, Nicky, Alex, Kaitlin, Elizabeth were all in the living room. Dad had called me earlier that morning and told me that he had called the school and explained the situation. The school said it was ok if I stayed home. Michelle had gone to school.

"Hey guys," Gia said.

"Hey Gia," Rachel said looking up.

Kaitlin ran over and hugged me.

"Kaitlin what's wrong?"

"Will Dad be ok?" she asked.

"Yeah he'll be fine. He just has to stay at the hospital with your mom for awhile. Like when you had your appendix out."

"Oh ok."

"Lila's over at a friends, Michelle's at school and Alexa's thrown herself into everything," Elizabeth informed me.

"Oh ok."

"Hey you guys want anything to drink?" gia asked.

They went into the kitchen to tell her. I followed her. The kitchen phone rang.

"Yeah?" Gia said.

"Yeah………sure………no actually. Yeah ok. I'll tell her. Uh huh. Ok. Bye."

She hung up. I looked at Gia.

"It's DJ," she told me; "she'll call you on your other phone, upstairs. I'll take care of everyone down here."

"Ok. Thanks."

"Yeah sure take all the time you need Steph."

"Ok."

I walked past her and the others and went up the stairs, down the hall and into my room where I closed and locked the door. I flopped on my bed and my phone rang.

"Yeah hello?" I asked.

"Steph?" I heard a familiar voice say.

"DJ?"

"Yeah hi."

"Hi."

She sounded as though shed been crying.

"Is……..is Dad there?"

"Um no he's not."

"When will he be back?"

"I have absolutely no idea."

"Oh. Ok."

"Did something happen?"

"Yeah but…….."

"Stephanie I need to know."

"Ok um well Joey, Jesse, Dad, Vicky and Becky are all at the hospital."

"Omygod why what happened?"

"Well Joey and Jesse were in accidents."

"Omygod."

"Yeah. I know. Jesse was in a motorcycle accident and Joey was in a car accident, with Claire."

"Oh god. I……..wow."

"Yeah."

Pause.

"I didn't want to tell you cuz you don't sound all that good."

"Well um I'm not Stephanie. I'm not. But thanks for telling me."

"Uh huh. Why wha'ts wrong?"

"Stephanie I I really need to get out of here."

Downstairs I heard the doorbell ring.

"I'll get it!" Gia called.

"Steph? You there?" DJ asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah."

"Ok. Well………….the other night I tried to kill myself."

"Omygod."

"Yeah I know."

"Wow. But………..how's……………what about……….where's Steve?" I asked, referring to her boyfriend.

"Oh he's on s ki trip."

"Oh."

"Katie's been staying with me the past few days."

"Oh."

"Yeah. How soon can you get up here?"

"Well I honestly have no idea. But I'll let you know as soon as we know."

"Ok thanks."

"Mmhmm. That it?"

"Yeah I I think so."

"Be careful."

"Thanks. Bye."

"Bye."

We hung up. I sat there on my bed and digested what I'd just heard what I'd learned over the past few hours; DJ had tried to kill herself, Joey, Jesse and Claire were in accidents, Eric had tried to kill himself. I started crying.

I don't know why Eric would try to do that; because I was fresh available………..still a virgin? Thank god it hadn't gone further. I thought I could trust him and maybe that's all he had wanted from me from the very beginning. I'm so lucky Gia and her friends were there to stop it. Because if they hadn't been……I don't know what I would've done.

I hadn't gotten the details of the accidents yet but just that it had happened. It's a good thing all involved were still alive.**

Dj had tried to kill herself. I knew she'd been depressed but I didn't know it had gotten this far. I didn't know how stable or unstable she'd be but it was probably better she was coming home.

A knock came on my door.

"Steph?" someone asked.

"Yeah?" I said.

"It's Ginger."

"Oh."

"Can I come in?"

I sniffled; "yeah hold on."

"Ok."

I was still dressed in what I'd been wearing the previous night.

I walked across the room to the door which I unlocked and opened to find Ginger standing on the other side of the doorway.

"Steph what what happened?" she asked; "are you ok?"

"No no I'm not. Are you?"

"No. Stephanie……..I just threw up."


	9. Chapter 9

"Can I come in?" Ginger asked me.

"Um yeah sure," I replied.

She walked over to the bed and sat down on it.

"Thanks," Ginger said.

"Mmhmm."

I closed the door behind me.

"You're I mean you just what?" I asked.

"I……Stephanie I just threw up."

All sorts of questions started running through my mind; are you sick are you pregnant intentionally. I didn't know where to start.

"I I don't know where to start," I muttered.

"Hmm?" Ginger asked, looking up at me.

"With the questions. I mean er sorry."

"It's ok. I'm not pregnant but I am sick. Sort of. But not in the usual way."

"I don't quite understand."

"Well Stephanie I……I had to get away, from there."

"There?" I asked with raised eyebrows.

"The, place that I live."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"He hit me and kicked me and then I left and went to a restaurant and…"

"He?"

"This, guy. That, lives with us."

"Oh."

"Yeah so…"

"Why?"

"Hmm?"

"Why?"

"I don't know because he can."

"Well that's not a very good reason."

Ginger sighed; "I know."

"How long has he been doiong this?"

"For a few months."

"Oh."

I went over to the bed and sat next to her.

"Ginger," I said, looking at her.

"Yeah?"

"Something has to be done about this. Someone has to be told."

"Stephanie!"

"I'm not going to tell anyone right now. But when, as soon as Uncle Jesse gets better, which could take about a month to a month and a half, I'm going to tell him."

"Do you…….I mean, can I?"

"Can you come with me? Yeah sure."

"Ok."

"I just…..it's just,"

"Yeah?" Ginger asked.

"In middle school I knew this guy Charles."

Ginger gasped; "yeah so did I. He was my brother."

"Oh god."

"Yeah I know. Thank god we got that guy to jail."

"And he hasn't escaped."

"I'm sorry for, well, 'betraying' Charles like that but………"

"He's dead anyway Stephanie," Ginger reminded me. She turned to me; "you know that I know that. We both know that."

"Yeah I know. I just wish……."

"It would've gone differently. Yeah so do I. But it happened and that's just the way it is."

"Well anyway," I said.

"Yeah."

"Um go on," I urged.

"Well so then I ate and then I um………was sick. Got sick."

"Oh god. Ginger."

"I know Stephanie. I know."

"And how long has that, been going on?"

"Ever since charles………."

"Oh," I said.

"Yeah."

"So much for your family then I guess."

"Yeah."

Pause.

"Hey can I stay here tonight?" Ginger asked.

"Yeah sure."

"Ok thanks."

"Uh huh."

Another pause.

"So what's your news?" Ginger asked me.

"Hmm?"

"Well I'm just wondering………."

"Oh. That."

"Yeah that."

"Um well."

"So? Yes?"

"Well I…….I'm not pregnant either thank god. I'm actually still a virgin believe it or not," I said.

"Um ok I don't really see a problem with that."

"Thanks Ginger."

"Uh huh."

"But apparently some people do."

"Such as?"

"Well Eric for one."

"Eric Von Platt?"

"Yrah I guess that would be the one. Don't really know his last name though."

"Oh yeah. Was he the one…?"

"Yeah."

"Ok. What happened?"

"Well that night Eric, Gia, some of Gia's friends and I went clubbing."

"Mmhmm," Ginger nodded.

"And, well, Eric tried to have sex with me. He didn't get very far because Gia and the guys got into a fight with him. Gia and I then went to her place."

"Omygod."

"Yeah I know."

"Are you ok? I mean ok stupid question but…….."

"It's ok. And physically yeah I am. But otherwise, no I'm not."

"Ohh Stephanie."

"Yeah. I know."

"So is that what you were upset about earlier?"

"Well yeah that and some other stuff."

"Yeah?"

"Well…….my uncles, and Gia's mom were in accidents. They're at the hospital with my dad, Vicky and Becky."

"Oh. Are they ok?"

"Idinno we haven't heard. I mean they're, you know, they're here."

"Yeah but………"

"Idinno Ginger. Idinno."

"Ok. And what else?"

"Well on Friday we 'we' being the family and Gia and you if you wanna comeare going up to pick up my sister from college. She's been very depressed lately."

"Yeah, sure, I wanna come."

"Ok."

"Her friend has been staying with her."

"Oh."

"Her boyfriend's on a ski trip."

"Ohh."

"But I guess she tried to kill herself earlier."

"Omygod."

"Yeah I know."

"Jeez Stephanie."


	10. Chapter 10

It was now Friday and we were all driving up to my sister DJ's college. 'We' being Michelle, Gia, Ginger, Dad, Vicky, Becky, Alexa, Rachel, Elizabeth, Lila, Nicky, Alex, Kaitlin and myself. We were all piled into our 12 passenger van. Kaitlin was on Aunt Becky's lap and Nicky and Alex were sharing a seat. Nicky, Alex and Kaitlin were all Becky and Jesse's children. I was sitting in the back with Gia, Ginger and Rachel.

When I say up I literally mean 'up'; up north to Vermont. We'd been driving all day and were now in New Hampshire. It was snowing, the heat was on and the windshield wipers were going. Dad had put on the snow tires. Lila's friend Ashley was following us, with her parents and Michelle's friends Chelsea, Danielle and Tom in their van. Dad had called the schools and informed them that we wouldn't be at school the next few days which they said was fine. Our recitals, performances, games and shows had been switched to the following Friday.

Alexa was one of Dad and Vicky's daughters. Not only did she work at an animal shelter, she also worked at PetSmart. She also took dance, acting and gymnastics and was in the school play and talent show.


End file.
